Frenchman

Re: Natural Healing - A small rules tweek I do believe you owe me a keyboard.

Re: Adjusting Costs When STR is 2 points

Re: Adjusting Costs When STR is 2 points

Re: Adjusting Costs When STR is 2 points I think the only powers you'd need to recost are Growth, Density Increase, and, of course, TK. HA, EB, and KA are just fine - 1 DC for 5 points is a base premise for the cost of powers, which is why STR should cost more, as it gives you more than just that - but thats for another thread. I wouldn't remove the -1/2 limitation on HA attack, but rather I'd add it to EB for the reason that they are less effective than killing attacks - but again, thats for another thread. The cost of TK would have to be doubled to 3/1 rather than 3/2, but I'd leave the adders (fine manipulation, affects porous, and any others I've forgotten) alone. Growth and DI are a bit trickier - I don't like those powers anyways, but for arguments sake, I'll rework their costs: DI - the cost of buying +5 STR (for 10 Base Points), +1PD/ED, & +1 KBR all with the limitations Non-Persistant (-1/4), Costs END (-1/2), and Side Effects (increased Mass, -1/2) comes out to just under 7 points per 5 STR of DI, if HD did the math right. I'd increase it to 10 anyways, because that's a nice, round number. Growth - Built similarly, Growth comes to about 10 points per level, so I'd leave both Growth and DI at 10 points per level.

Re: Natural Healing - A small rules tweek I can't help buy notice that, in your example at least, the character recovers 5 body over the month of May. Just as he would under the normal rules. He even recovers it every 6 days, just as he would if you pro-rated his recovery as is reccomended by the normal rules. Seems you've found a more complicated way for him to heal 1 BODY every REC/30 days. Good idea though, for low-powered campaigns to have something like this. In a pulp game I'd allow a paramedics roll to heal 1-2 body right away, and double the healing rate for longer-term care. You could alternately allow characters to heal REC/Week in body, or encourage everyone to take the Fast Healing talent from Fantasy Hero. If you don't like any of those, I'd reccomend signifigant amounts of 'down-time' between adventures to allow them to heal from their wounds.

Re: Melee Reflection Cross-posting from Nexus' other thread

Re: How would you build this? A Voice that.... This sounds like the Fascination Talent from Fantasy Hero. Extra PRE, only to make them stop and pay attention to you.

Re: Missile Deflection Variant (Pondering) Or if we wanted to unify the block and missile deflection mechanics, do away with missile deflection as a separate power and make block effective against ranged attacks, most likely at a penalty - I'd go with -6 or so. Then characters who want to be good with this could buy PSLs vs. that penalty, costing 9/12/18 to eliminate it. Reflection could either be a 10/20 point talent, or it could also be done away with, to be replaced by RKA with trigger and variable sFX.

Re: Magic Missiles Here's our group's take on it: Magic Missile: EB 1d6, Costs END only for the 'first' shot of a volley (+1/4), Indirect (Any origin, always fired away from attacker; +1/2), No Range Modifier (+1/2), Affects Desolidified Any form of Desolidification (+1/2), Area Of Effect Accurate (One Hex; +1/2), NND (Shield Spell; +1), Does BODY (+1), Autofire (5 shots; +1/2), Non-Standard Attack Power (+1) (34 Active Points); Requires A Magic Roll (Autofire Hits are determined by Magic Roll, not attack roll; -1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4) With the combination of Hex Accurate and No Range Mod, we just waive the attack roll and determine the number of hits from the Magic Roll instead of the attack roll. We also use END only to activate in a funny way, so you pay the same END cost regardless of how many missiles are in a volley.

Re: A Focus that can Shrink to be hid. When I created a magical sword which could turn into a ring on the character's hand, I did the same as Armitage - Big bonus to concealment, but it was still an OAF - It was obvious that it was a sword, when it was a sword (just like a magic ring is obviously magical, when its shooting fireballs), and it was just as accessible as any other sword, when it was a sword. So I bought it +12 with concealment (only to hide the sword) and Fastdraw at 18-

Re: Random SF Science Questions

Re: Damage based on Ammo

Re: Symbiotes in a Fantasy Setting - Multipower? I'm rather leery of making it a follower - sounds like the time someone wanted to have a sentient magical sword, so he built it as a follower - all it was was a KA with loads of aids and CSLs UBO, so he would be getting the exact same thing as another magic sword, but this one talked and so cost only 1/5 as much - I don't like buying equipment as followers. That said, I have some constructive ideas and questions: What is the sFX of the armor? I imagine it to be chunks of coral studded in the host's skin, or maybe just underneath it. I guess you want it to be capable of retracting deep enough within the body that it provides no protection (which seems odd to me), I'd rather the armor/FF just be there, all the time - but I'm sure you have a neat sFX made up allready that incorporates that. Now, I'll throw an alternative at you which doesn't cost END, but still has a cost (in blood). See, coral is brittle, and breaks if hit hard enough - so how about ablative armor which requires blood (body) to regrow. Blood Coral: Armor (5 PD/5 ED) (15 Active Points); Side Effects, Side Effect occurs automatically whenever Power is used (-1), Ablative BODY Only (-1/2) The Ablative roll 'heals' back at some set rate, like 1/hour or 1/day, and each +1 to the roll sucks 1 Body worth of blood from the Host. For the STR boost, you could use a succor - it costs lots of END, both for the succor and for the STR you gain, but it seems appropriate - maybe with a Drain REC side effect. Other Ideas - If the coral drinks blood, why would it only take it from its host? Maybe a drain Body/Stun or a Transfer (to STR, if you want) that only happens if the coral breaks open someone elses skin. Coral shards in the hands/feet/elbows/whatever could add a HA or HKA attack or damage shield for the host - link it to the drain/transfer if you want. They may even be able to shoot/throw them at range, or they might break off and infect others with the parasite. I like The Monster's suggestion of the coral lowering the characters REC, you can do this by either just buying down their REC, or it could have a REC Drain side effect on some of its abilities. I also imagine that this blood coral seeps blood out of it, which could have nasty consequences if theres a shark in the water. Thats it for now, I'm sure I'll have more thoughts later. Great Idea, by the way - I've repped you for it.

Re: RKane_!'s heretical and Audacious Block variant An unarmed person can block a sword without cutting themselves - by grabbing/deflecting their arm. Presdigitator has got the right idea there. Assuming that your version of block has the same CV modifiers (none) as the default block, why would a character sacrifice an action before the hit roll is made, to possibly (if they miss) have a chance (then you have to roll) to take 1/2 damage - when they can take a small penalty to CV and abort to Roll With the Blow after they know whether or not the other person hit? If two combatants with equal O/DCVs square off, the one who aborts to block will waste their abort much of the time - Their opponent has a 40% chance to miss them - and thus their pre-emptive abort was pointless, and if they do hit them, they have another 40% chance to fail their block roll. If you wait until after their attack roll, then you can take your action if they miss, or - if they hit - abort to Roll With the Blow and automatically take 1/2 damage plus some extra KB. And at this point, the extra distance is probably welcome If you abort (or hold an action) to block, best case scenario is for your opponent to miss you, and both of you to waste the turn - where a regular block gives an additional benefit if you succeed, you go first next time you share a phase. Rolling with the blow lets you avoid wasting an action, and automatically gives you essentially the same benefit - 1/2 damage. If you're blocking your opponent, then you are likely not doing too well (a normal block is a good move even when you have the upper hand, this one is not), and the extra inches of KB will put desirable distance between yourself and your foe, giving you a head start and possibly making the DCV penalty moot.

Re: Missile Deflection Variant (Pondering) This came up in my group: Our Fantasy wizard wanted to have a spell-reflection spell - Obvious build, as missile reflection. Unfortunatly, he was forced to buy it at the highest level, and then limit it to only spells. We ended up coming up with a different cost system, something like this: 5 - Very Limited sFX (Thrown Weapons, Arrows, A single spell) 10 - Limited sFX (Missile Weapons, Fire Spells) 15 - Broad sFX (Physical/Energy Missiles, Spells) 20 - Unlimited sFX (Everything)

Re: Defense against Entangle Sigh. Sadly, one of my players has discovered just how cheesey a 2d6, 3 DEF BOECV vs EGO entangle is. After using it for almost a whole sessions worth of combats to single-handedly neutralize his foes, I am planning to use his own medicine against him (in the form of a 2d6 entangle vs. Con - a poison), but dreading it - I'm not sure how he'll react, especially seeing as he'll have to roll double sixes to deal 1 body to it (8 Con, low body feeble old shaman). But enough whining, I actually have something I'd like to point out: It seems ridiculous how overpoweringly effective an entangle can be, especially in heroic-level settings. A 4d6 entangle, slightly below the AP cap for spells (45), is basically a guaranteed show-stopper, especially against a single opponent. Even a low-dice entangle can be frighteningly effective, especially if combined with Takes No Damage From Attacks or vs EGO, Not STR. For 80 AP (not excessive in the Supers games I've played in), a supervillain could have a 4d6 vs. EGO entangle that takes no damage from attacks - enough to incapacitate the vast majority of his foes. For 100 AP, it can have autofire, so he can take out a whole superteam with one action. It seems that Entangle, even moreso than other powers, can quickly get out of hand, even while remaining well below the AP caps of a game.

Re: How do I build? Thruthsayer, I see you are new to the boards, and I presume new to the system. Welcome. All that was pointed out above is excellent advice, it occured to me that a new player may not know what a Naked Advantage is - its in the new (revised ) book on page 244, right at the begining of the advantages section, but I'll describe briefly. A Naked Advantage is a power Advantage (like AP or Autofire) that is bought as a separate power, usually because it has additional limitations or advantages from the power(s) it applies to. An example pertinent to your plight would be what Gojira said, buy the sword, then the advantage, as thus: Mystical Katana: 2d6 HKA, Reduced END (Zero END, +1/2) (45 Active Points) OAF (-1), Hand & a Half Weapon (-1/4), STR MIN 15 (-3/4) - Real Cost: 7 Points To figure out the base cost of the Naked Advantage, apply it to the base cost of the power - not the active cost. So we apply a +1/2 to 30 base points, which adds 15 points to it. Demon-Slayer: Naked Advantage: AP (+1/2), on Mystical Katana (15 Active Points) OAF (-1), Hand & a Half Weapon (-1/4), STR MIN 15 (-3/4), Only vs. Demons and Evil Spellcasters (-1) - Real Cost - 4 So the total cost of the weapon is 11 points. PS - I built it differently so I could demonstrate the interaction with Base cost, as opposed to Active cost, and I built it as a heroic-level weapon, because I felt like it.

In a previous response to SteveZilla, you wrote:

Re: Good-by Speedster Off the top of my head... A Brick with this: Reflexive Clothesline: HA +8d6, Trigger (Activating the Trigger is an Action that takes no time, Trigger requires a Zero Phase Action to reset; When a foe moves through a hex in your HTH range; +3/4) (70 Active Points); Only to deal up to STR+v/5 dice of damage (-1), Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2), Restrainable (-1/2), No Knockback (-1/4)

Re: Has anyone built a HERO version of a Wand Of Wonder? OK, I got it in a word doc.

Re: Defense against Entangle Also shape-shifters. Anyone who can shrink, grow, or stretch will (depending on the sFX of their power) have no problem getting out of an entangle

Re: What fundamental thing would you change about the Hero system? Damn you, Nexus, Damn you! I really should refresh my browser before I reply.

Re: What fundamental thing would you change about the Hero system? Hmmm... RKane, I think you're confusing the name of the block maneuver with its sFX. Just as an energy blast doesn't need to be energy and Force Field doesn't need to have anything to do with a field, a character doesn't have to 'interpose an object' in order to use the block maneuver. Also, a character doesn't need to move to dodge - mechanics and special effects are separate. I really like to have my characters 'block' punches with their chin and 'dodge' by standing still and having the enemy miss anyways (remember Braveheart and the Rock-Throwing bit?)

Re: PS: Farmer in a Fantasy Campaign Growing seasons have to do with climate (duh) - meaning temperature and rainfall. The warmer is is (up to a point) and the wetter it is (again, up to a point) the longer the growing season is. A climate with an especially long growing season can be said to have two (or more) of them if a crop can bear yield more than once. Unless you want to become an agricultural expert, you can consider the growing season to be from early spring (as soon as the ground thaws in places that freeze) to late fall (after the harvest, when plants start dying anyways). Every plant/location combo has it's own particular planting and harvest dates for ideal yield, but you can find generalized ones by looking on the back of seed packets. As for the amount of time/care/devotion expended upon the plants, lets divide this up into four parts - Planting, Growing, Harvest, and Storage. Planting - Sowing seeds is work, for many crops, it is a lot of work. It usually involves breaking up the soil (tilling or plowing) and planting each individual seed into its own hole, or several seeds to a hole (depends on the plant). Thats the part the children get into, since they don't have to bend over quite so far and there's lots of 'em. Growing - The amount of work devoted to the crops in this part of the cycle varies a lot from plant to plant and culture to culture. All fields will need to be weeded and protected from vermin - usually this is fairly easy (if mind-numbing) work that takes only a few hours (max) each day. Some plants, especially fruit, will need culling - the removal of excess fruits so that the fruit each plant yields is bigger, tastier, and more valuable. Nevertheless, even the most vigilant farmer will lose some of his crops to bugs, vermin, or disease - even the traditional Japanese rice-farmers, who spent long hours each day and night in their field inspecting each stalk of rice for bugs and fungus, could expect to lose 10-15% of their planted seeds - but since each seed yeilds several hundred (a guess) more, this isn't a great loss. Harvest - The most work of the year, but over a very short time, often less than a week. Work is pretty much continous until the whole field is brought in, because at this point the crop will gain nothing, and possibly lose flavor or palatability, if it stays out longer. Storage - All foods need to be stored somehow. Fruits are jammed or preserved, grains are socked away in bags, barrels, or barns until needed. The smart farmer will only rarely have to worry about doing any work for this part of the cycle, having kept the food protected from rain/flood and animals until the planting begins. Grains are grown in huge fields, while vegetables (until the advent of the supermarket) were grown in smaller, individual plots. If you know anyone with a vegetable garden in their side yard, then you know about what I'm talking about. Tending to a vegetable garden was about the same as it is today, except the pesticides weren't too advanced - they tended to kill the people and plants too - so there was a bit more time and effort spent on keeping things out of the garden. Mid-Spring to Early Summer. If you want something more specific, go to a garden store and look on the back of seed packets - they usually tell you when to plant.

Re: AstroSynthesis? Is it just me, or is their no price tag on that page?